 | Ochil Idylls and Other Poems |  |
82
BOYHOOD ON THE OCHILS.
The fairy time of life, Tam,
It's noo the time of yore!
And whatna lovely world we lost
When boyhood's hour was o'er!
It's noo the time of yore!
And whatna lovely world we lost
When boyhood's hour was o'er!
We cross'd the burn that rins between
That an' the world o' men;
The lad that tak's the loup, Tam,
He ne'er wins back agen.
That an' the world o' men;
The lad that tak's the loup, Tam,
He ne'er wins back agen.
Awa', awa' that fairy world
Gaed floating haill an' free;
Its sangs grew faint, its groves grew dim,
The brook becam' a sea.
Gaed floating haill an' free;
Its sangs grew faint, its groves grew dim,
The brook becam' a sea.
And then the world of men, Tam,
Called with an yren tone,
An', waukin' from the dreams of youth,
We were no more our own.
Called with an yren tone,
An', waukin' from the dreams of youth,
We were no more our own.
83
Labour's great clanking engine-house
Open'd, and shut us in,
An' sune the memories of our youth
Were lost amid the din.
Open'd, and shut us in,
An' sune the memories of our youth
Were lost amid the din.
Time pass'd, an' we were aulder,
Our elders pass'd away,
An' lads, as we had been, cam' in,
Just lifted from their play.
Our elders pass'd away,
An' lads, as we had been, cam' in,
Just lifted from their play.
Their country looks sae fresh and wild,
They touch'd us into pain;
The joys that we had lost, Tam,
We lost them owre again.
They touch'd us into pain;
The joys that we had lost, Tam,
We lost them owre again.
But ah! in vain we sigh, we seek—
We'll see it nevermore,
The fairy world of boyhood
We rambled in of yore.
We'll see it nevermore,
The fairy world of boyhood
We rambled in of yore.
It's no' upon the green hillside,
Nor yet within the glen;
The gate of boyhood's Eden, Tam,
It's barr'd to bearded men.
Nor yet within the glen;
The gate of boyhood's Eden, Tam,
It's barr'd to bearded men.
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